5 - Year - Old boy weighs a shocking 178lbs

SUBSCRIBE to the Barcroft network: ****** A FIVE-YEAR-OLD boy weighing more than 12 STONE is so large he risks being suffocated by his own bulk. Misael Caldogno Abreu is three times the size of other children his age due to a syndrome which means he is unable to stop eating. He is so heavy he often stops breathing while sleeping - leaving his terrified parents fearing that one day he may not wake up. Misael, from Espírito Santo, Brazil, was born a healthy 6lb 6oz, but immediately started piling on the pounds. Doctors believe he may be suffering from Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare genetic condition that leaves him with an insatiable appetite. His mother Josiane de Jesus Caldogno Abreu and father Manoel Abreu worry he will die without help. Videographer / director: Felipe Varanda Producer: John Balson, Robert Born Editor: Sonia Estal, Kyle Waters Barcroft TV: ****** Barcroft Cars: ****** Bear Grylls Adventure: ****** For more of the amazing side of life: For the full story, visit BARCROFT.TV: ****** Like BARCROFT TV on Facebook: ****** Follow @Barcroft_TV on Twitter: ****** Check out more videos: ******

MANOEL ABREU: The reality is he’s a child, a five year old baby weighing 80 kilos. The weight of an adult. COMM: At 178lbs Misael Caldognou Abreu weighs more the average adult male. But Misael is only 5 years old. And his bulk maybe due to a rare genetic condition. JOSIANE DE JESUS CALDOGNOU ABREU: Since he was born he always put on a lot of weight. Since he was a baby. Even when I was breastfeeding, he gained more weight than expected. But he really started to gain weight when he was one year and a half. We started to worry when he gained three kilos in one month and he started getting heavy. COMM: Doctors believe that Misael suffers from Prader-Willi Syndrome. A condition characterised by obsessive eating and an insatiable appetite. DR. LUCIO COELHO MIRANDA: The current situation is Misael is a child with morbid obesity. He is a compulsive eater. He eats all day. Between each consultation, he gains a lot of weight. Sometimes five kilos between each consultation! COMM: And the complications of the syndrome can be fatal. JOSIANE DE JESUS CALDOGNOU ABREU: His condition is complicated. We know we could lose him at any moment. Last night he was sleeping and I was watching him to see if he was breathing. MANOEL ABREU: His heart works under pressure, suffocated. If we didn’t look after him the way we do, there’s a ninety per cent chance he would have, he would have passed away. COMM: Now, Misael must stick to a low fat diet and walk for forty minutes every day! MANOEL ABREU: The most difficult thing for us today is feeding him which is very expensive! We have some financial difficulties, so it gets hard, paying the rent. It gets hard, but thank god we are able to do everything we can for him that the doctor asks. He is our happiness, our joy, he brings pleasure to our home. There is no way to explain it. The difficulty we have is a battle, but our joy is another, there is no way to explain it. COMM: Prader-Willi Syndrome has no known cure, but Misael’s parents and doctors hope that one day he might be able to lead a normal life. JOSIANE DE JESUS CALDOGNOU ABREU: My hope is to see a normal child. Because sometimes I cry a lot, because we want to help him! DR. LUCIO COELHO MIRANDA: I think Misael can be helped by someone outside Brazil, as much medically to help with the diagnosis, as financially so he can be submitted for laboratory and genetic tests he hasn’t had yet. JOSIANE DE JESUS CALDOGNOU ABREU: I am very proud because he is a child who doesn’t surrender. His teacher told me that everything the other children do he wants to do as well. He doesn’t want to have limits; he wants to be a normal child. I admire my son. I live day and night for my son, because he is special. My son is special!